Reality is Joy
by RowlettLesbian
Summary: Calla Lily Potter is Ginny's hero. Her role model in everything. Except, turns out Calla has never had a friend before. Turns out she's small, and quiet, and shy, and everything Ginny never knew she wanted to befriend. Yeah, befriend. They were gonna be best friends. Right? FemHarry x Ginny
1. Chapter 1

Ginny had grown up being read the saga of the girl-who-lived every night before bed. Mum had been so happy to have a "good role model for her little girl". Ginny was just happy that Calla Potter was out there to be amazing! The books explained all about how she slayed dragons, and attended parties in flowing ball gowns, and hunted werewolves that were terrorizing small villages. Also, she was super pretty. She had flowing black hair and green eyes, with a neat little zig-zag scar right on her forehead. Mum said, that when Ginny went to school Calla would be one year older than her, and in Gryffindor where they could be good friends. Ginny couldn't wait. This year, her stupid brother was going to school and he'd get to meet Calla before her, even though he knew that Calla was going to be Ginny's best friend. Ron had been bragging about it all week. Ginny had been finding spiders in the garden and leaving them in his bed, and he was so stupid he thought it was the twins what was doin' it.

Today, though, the whole family was going to see everybody but her off at the Hogwarts Express. It wasn't a lot of time, but it was still a chance for Ginny to get to Calla first. Just in case, she was brushing her hair and putting in her flower hairclip. It was bright yellow, and Ginny curled up her red hair against it with a bright grin. She'd made it herself out of paper cut into petals spell-o-taped to a bobby pin. It matched with her nicest dress which her mum had made her, which was a flower sack that had been printed with daisies against a nice yellow cotton.

"Ginny, boys! Hurry along! We are going to be late! Get down here!" mum screamed up the stairs. Ginny gave her hair one last pat and raced down the stairs. She was gonna out-do all of her older brothers, especially Ron, and show Calla Potter that she was way prettier and cooler than the dumb older boys. Then, Calla would definitely wait a year for her to come and be her Best Friend Forever.

The whole family was clumped around the floo, with trunks and Errol and Scabbers making shrill noises as Percy nagged at the twins. Ron had dirt on his nose, but Ginny didn't tell him.

"Alright, one at a time, now, your father will go first and then I'll come along behind you all and we'll go to the platform together, understood?" Mum started waving them into the fireplace one by one, and Da nearly tripped on his way. Ginny was the last one through before mum, and as she stepped into the fire her mum finally got a good look at her. "Oh! Well don't you look lovely, Ginny dear."

Ginny smiled, and made sure to speak extra clearly. Her world whirled away into green and then she was stumbling out into a crowd of her family. Fred and George each caught one of her arms and helped her stay upright.

"Careful little sis-"

"-ter, darling! Gotta keep you looking-"

"-fresh as a daisy for your future bestie!" finished Fred. He usually went first, and he had an extra freckle on his nose. This up close Ginny could tell them apart almost every time. Ron grumbled next to them and rubbed at his nose, likely explaining the dirt, Ginny thought disgustedly.

"Leave off, guys! She's in my year, I'm gonna be her friend first! And then she'll never wanna hang out with such a baby." This last bit Ron turned towards Ginny to say. Ginny puffed herself up, feeling her face burn red with rage. Ron looked a tad nervous, now, and the twins were patting at her as if that would sooth her. Ginny took a deep breath, and reminded herself firmly to calm down. This is not how Calla Potter would behave! Calla would be nice because she was always going to win anyways, so she didn't need to get angry. Ginny was going to win, and she was not going to let Calla see her for the first time all red and angry. The twins looked a bit impressed with her now, and that calmed her down even more. Fred and George were some of her biggest heroes after Calla.

Mum had finally come through and finished her two head-counts, so they all started for the platform. She was bellowing something or other about how packed the place was, and Ginny giggled. Mum looked down and noticed her and tried to take her hand. Ginny darted away. She wasn't a baby, she was brave like Calla and she was going to prove it!

One by one, they passed the barrier, and out of the corner of her eye as Ginny went through she noticed a tiny girl with a little black bob cut and big glasses. Her clothes looked even more worn than some of Ginny's things. She had a trunk and a cage with a brilliant white owl. And then, Ginny was through and looking at a bright crimson steam engine. The Hogwarts Express was lovely, but it was like the image of the tiny girl was burned onto the backs of her eyes. Ginny couldn't look anywhere without seeing the slumped outline of the girl.

Mum really did grab her hand this time and it quickly shook Ginny out of her reverie. She yanked her hand away as soon as they reached Da and her brothers.

"Mum! I don't need you to hold my hand! Calla Potter could be anywhere, I can't let her think I'm a baby," Ginny whispered the last bits up into her mum's ear, but mum had already stopped listening. George's trunk was shaking and mum was having a fit about it. Ah, well. At least she was free, now.

Ginny scoped out the crowd for anyone who might be Calla Potter. To her right, a bunch of Slytherins. It couldn't be them. Across the way from her, a few girls with dark hair were standing and chatting but none of them seemed…quite right. They turned around, and Ginny saw their ties were blue and yellow. Nope, not Calla. Ginny turned around and peeked around her Da's dad tummy.

The girl was back. The tiny girl. Her hair was a bit more ruffled and her glasses were askew. She really was even smaller than Ginny had thought. Smaller than her, even, and given her uniform Ginny was a year younger. She looked miserable. And tired. Before she knew it, Ginny was rushing forward and grabbing the girl's trunk. The girl startled and yanked on the handle. Their hands bumped into each other and the girl's face took on a pasty, panicked look. Ginny startled and put her other hand on the girl's shoulder.

"It's okay! This just looks super heavy, so I thought I'd help. I'm not gonna steal it, or anything." Ginny looked down into the girl's face. She looked like an owl, with green eyes wide open and magnified by her glasses. She started smiling a little.

"Thanks," said the girl. Ginny beamed back and started pulling the trunk, and the girl along with it.

"My name's Ginny, by the way," she said. The girl blushed a tad and Ginny felt butterflies in her stomach. She brushed her dark bangs to the side and the smile slid off Ginny's face. Her forehead was gnarled with scars that spread all the way down through her right eyebrow. It looked like…lightning.

"It's Calla. Calla Lily Potter. Nice to meet you." Ginny hurriedly started smiling again. Calla was so quiet. And small. Ginny was horrified by the immediate realization that if she didn't do something, her brother would stomp all over this girl. This girl who was the girl-who-lived.

"Here, you have an owl, right? So do I! Just write a note and send it to Ginny Weasley at the Burrow. I'll write you as well. We can be penpals until I start school next year!" Calla's smile was effervescent. Her eyes almost seemed to be glowing. They'd reached the entrance to the train. Calla was shuffling her feet and glancing up at Ginny, then back to the ground, then back up at her again. Ginny slowly reached up and plucked the flower out of her hair. She tucked it into Calla's hair, but made sure to not pull her bangs from her forehead. Anything that could help keep her out of notice even a little longer, Ginny was sure, Calla would find nothing but a blessing. The yellow looked horrible. But Calla's smile made up for it.

"Thanks, Ginny," she whispered.

"Wait for me, okay?" Ginny couldn't help but ask. Everything in her was being pulled towards Calla, but somehow she felt more worried than awed. "I'll be back in a year, and then we can ride the train together." Calla nodded and her hair fluffed around the rims of her glasses. She petted the flower in her hair.

"I will. Because we're friends, right?" Ginny's cheeks were burning with heat but there was nothing embarrassing about it, not with Calla's cheeks just as red. They were just standing there smiling.

"Right. Friends."


	2. Chapter 2

Dear Calla,  
Hi! This is Ginny, from the train station. I'm really happy to write you! I've never had a pen-pal before. I'm sending this on yellow parchment to match the flower I gave you. I'm at the burrow with my mum and da. I hope you visit someday. This year is my last year before Hogwarts so I'm practicing extra hard. Every day I go for a jog around the nearby woods, and then I use a stick I found and whittled down to practice my sword-fighting! My brother Charlie takes care of dragons on a reserve, so I'd never hurt one for real unless I had to, but I like to pretend I'm slaying a dragon like y a hero from a storybook. Mum makes me practice knitting with her as well, and I used to not like it at all but now I think it's alright. I'm knitting you a scarf soon, so tell me what house you're in so I can do the right colors.  
Your friend,  
Ginny

Dear Ginny,  
Hello. I've never written a letter before. I'm bad at quills so sorry for the handwriting. I got sorted into Slytherin and your brother said not to write you. If you don't want to be friends anymore I'll understand.  
I'm Sorry,  
Calla Lily Potter

Dear Calla,  
I don't care! My brother is an idiot. I'm knitting you a green and grey scarf because we don't have silver yarn. I'm making it extra long for you to stay warm or strangle my brother. I won't mind. Today mum made me de-gnome the garden. I made it fun by using it to practice my aim and throwing. Now, I'll be able to aim my spells better and throw rocks at people better. Fred and George said they were going to send me a toilet seat but they haven't so I don't have any souvenirs from Hogwarts. You should pick a flower and press it and send it! I'm sending on some dandelions I found in the garden that I pressed in an old cook book. Now you'll have a souvenir from the Burrow. I hope you like them! What are your classes like? How is it being in Slytherin? Are you having fun? How is your owl and what is hi he their name? I like owls a lot but I don't think I'll ever get a pet until I'm grown up. Your owl is super pretty.  
Your friend,  
Ginny

Dear Ginny,  
Hedwig is a girl owl and she's very pretty. She says thank you for the compliment. I found a daisy like the ones on the dress you were wearing and I put it between the pages of my history textbook. I sent it in the envelope with this letter. I love learning magic more than anything. I didn't know about magic until a few weeks ago, so I'm not very good. Right now my favorite class is charms because we're making things float. Slytherin is okay I guess. My dorm mates mostly leave me alone. I like my bed. Exploring the castle is very fun. I can walk around by myself for hours, and the portraits and suits of armor keep changing. This is the most beautiful place I've every been. It's also really nice having a friend even if you're not here. When you come you can visit Hedwig as much as you want. What are you doing at home? Are your mum and dad nice? Is it very beautiful? What's it like to live in a magical house? Also what do you like to do for fun? I like reading and exploring and, now, pressing flowers. Thank you for getting me to try it.  
Your friend,  
Calla

Dear Calla,  
I'm super happy today! Mum made my favorite for breakfast. Waffles with strawberries! I'm not a good cook and she likes me to help her cook so we usually don't make waffles. Also, I finished your scarf. I really hope you like it! It took me forever to get it perfect. Da said he'd never seen me make something so nice. Mum and Da are really busy, having so many kids and all, but they're pretty great. I'm sorry about yours. Is your family nice? I don't know who you live with. Are they muggles? I can't really imagine living in a house without magic. I guess there's a lot of things I take for granted. In my house we use magic for lots of things, like doing the dishes and knitting and cleaning and talking from far away and traveling. Everything we do uses a little bit of magic. To be honest, I think that everything is a little magic because we're magic, and so if we're there then we make it magical. It's like pressing flowers makes them last longer, but then when we do it they have a little of our magic pressed into them. I guess that sounds a bit silly. I just really like the daisy you sent me. I can almost smell it still. I'm looking forward to Halloween in a few weeks. It's my job to rake leaves so then I can jump into the piles. Then I have to clean them up all over again, but it's worth it. I've been reading about Slytherin and ambition and cunning and I think it sounds pretty great. Merlin was in Slytherin, you know. Also cunning means being really clever really fast especially with people and ambitious means wanting to be the best you can be. You must be both of those things, which makes a lot of sense because you're really cool. Don't tell anyone no matter what, but I think being in Slytherin would be pretty cool. Then we'd be able to spend lots of time together. This year I'm working extra hard to be the best I can be, and also to be clever about how I talk to mum and da. I'm planning to try and be cunning when I ask them about what chores I need to do. Then, with less chores, I'll have more time to practice with my sword-stick and read about spells. I can't wait to show you everything I can do. Only ten more months to go! Maybe less if we can visit over the summer. I could show you the woods around my house. There's lots of leaves and squirrels and hills. There's a stream nearby that me and my brothers like to play in during the summer. Lots of dandelions grow around it. Please let me know if you like the scarf and what's happening in your life. My brothers told me first year can be hard, but I'm your friend and I'm here to help. I hope you're okay.  
Your very best friend,  
Ginny

Dear Ginny,  
There was a troll in the castle! I didn't go to the feast because I don't like Halloween much and I was walking down a hallway in the dungeons and it just turned a corner and saw me. I knocked it out with a levitation charm on its club and then I threw up. Everyone has been whispering and pointing at me all the time and I hate it. I'm sorry to write all this to you but I can't sleep. It's two in the morning while I write this. I've had a nightmare every night and I can't stop shaking. I still love magic, but I think it can be either good or bad. Or neither. The troll was just really confused. I feel bad that someone brought it into the castle where it didn't want to be. Real bad magic would be like what happened to my parents.  
I'm real sorry I'm just so tired. Your letters are the only thing I look forward to other than homework. Not that your letters are like homework! It's just you said I could tell you things. I haven't had somebody I could tell things before.  
Your house sounds so amazing. Magic would have made my life so much better with my relatives. They're muggles, so we don't live near any forests or streams or anything beautiful. I can't really think of anything I like about the muggle world. I don't really like my relatives, even. That sounds pretty mean but they just really don't like magic so its hard to live with them.  
Sword fighting sounds super cool. I couldn't ever do anything like that. You must be super strong and clever. And brave. Like your brothers in Gryffindor. I think you'd be really happy there. Slytherin isn't a place for good people. You should be somewhere better. People say I'm in Slytherin because I'm evil. I think they might be right. I killed the troll, Ginny. Murder is really really bad. Please don't try to be in Slytherin. If you still want to be friends with me after you go to Gryffindor then I'll be happier than I've ever been in my whole life.  
Everything about your life sounds heavenly, Ginny. I wish I could be where you are. Then we could go play in the stream together.  
Your best friend,  
Calla

Dear Calla,  
You are not evil! Stop being stupid. Slytherin cannot have just evil people, because that's not what ambition and cunning means. Also, you're in Slytherin and you're the goodest person I've ever known. I can tell because you've been a really good friend and you're so nice. You're better at knowing good and bad than I am. You're guilty about the troll but I'm glad you killed it because it means you're safe. I'm working extra hard at swords and spells now so that, next time, I can take on the troll for you! You shouldn't always have to be the hero. I'm going to be better, and then I can stand by your side as the best 'best friend' ever. That's my ambition.  
Do me a favor. When I can't sleep, I always feel better after a chamomile tea with milk and gingersnaps. My older brothers Fred and George told me that there's a portrait near the Hufflepuff dorm of a bowl of fruit. If you tickle the pear you can get into the kitchen and the house elves will give you a snack any time of the night. I'm pretty sure the twins were telling the truth but if they were lying please be careful! Cunning means being suspicious of what people tell you, especially if they're pranksters like my brothers.  
Mum let me buy a flower at the market and I bought a Calla Lily. Just like your name. I pressed it and put it in this envelope. It's so beautiful how they look like stained glass water pitchers. They're my new favorite flower.  
Next week Mum, Da and I are going to Romania to visit my brother Charlie until after Christmas. You know Charlie, the one that works with dragons? He's super cool. I'm gonna get him to teach me all sorts of amazing magic and fighting. I'll send my present a little early so that you'll get it for sure. My mum also made you a gift but you don't need to get her anything. After I get home I'm going to send you tons of pictures.  
Your loving bestie,  
Ginny

Dear Ginny,  
I hope you're having a good Christmas in Romania. Dragons sound really amazing. I bet you could fight a dragon like your brother, especially after all of your practice.  
I loved your gift. I don't know how you got the flowers charmed to stay fresh but they're beautiful. I hope you like the gifts I sent. I wanted to get your mum and da something but I couldn't think of anything at all.  
Your tip about the kitchens was right. I'd never had ginger snaps before but they're the best. They're a really pretty color and they're super warm and comforting. I'm okay at making cookies so I'm going to learn how to make them and then, next year, you can try them and tell me how they could be better until I have them just right. Then we can both sleep better.  
It's been real nice here with everybody gone. The girls in my dorm aren't around to talk to me anymore. It makes it a lot easier to shower and brush my hair. I haven't cried since they left!  
It's hard to believe the year is half over. School feels like it's barely happened at all, but I feel like I've known you forever. It's strange.  
Strange things are happening here. There's a forbidden corridor with a three-headed dog. It's guarding a trap door of some kind. Hagrid, the grounds-keeper, let slip that it's the thing that he picked up from Gringotts the day he came to fetch me. He also let slip that the thing has something to do with Nicholas Flamel. I've been trying to find out what it could be. My scar, on my forehead, it hurts sometimes for no reason except it only seems to happen when I'm around certain people. Snape has a bite on his leg he got the same night someone let the troll into the castle and the bite is shaped like a massive dog's bite. Also I saw something horrible. Something I'll never forget.  
I got detention for being out past curfew. Hagrid took me and three other students, one was Ron, into the forbidden forest. He sent me with his dog and a boy I don't know to look for a dead unicorn. Something's been hunting them. We found one. There was a man-thing on it sucking its blood. My scar burned worse than I've ever felt. It was the worst thing I've ever seen. The boy and dog ran but I couldn't move. A centaur came and rescued me. He told me that unicorns are pure, and killing one is one of the baddest things possible. He told me that drinking unicorn blood would save your life from almost anything, but that you'd be cursed to a half-life, a cursed life. I believe it. I love magic, Ginny, because there's so much beauty and happiness and I finally know something about my parents. Also, I have a friend who's the best ever because of magic. But I think the magical world is terrifying. Being alone was bad with the muggles, but being alone here makes me think that I'm going to die. If I die soon, Ginny, I want you to have everything of mine. You're the only person in the world who likes me and you're the best person I've ever known. You make me feel safe. I think your magic is the best magic.  
Ever yours,  
Calla


	3. Chapter 3

Dear Calla,  
Don't die. I need more time to write a longer letter but I'm sending this right after reading your last letter. Don't die. Don't die. Be safe. More to follow.  
Yours always,  
Ginny

* * *

As Calla stood before Professor Quirrel and the mirror of Erised, all she could think of was that short Christmas letter. More had, indeed, followed, but Calla still felt that nothing they had said to each other for the rest of the year had changed anything. Calla was embroiled in something terrible, something that had started the night her parents died, and now she was going to join them.

"Come here, girl," called the face on the back of Quirrel's head. The face of the man who had murdered her parents. She walked forward and tried to ignore how the tears dripped down her face and her panic shook through her whole body. Even with her glasses, everything was blurry. "Tell me," he commanded as he took her shoulders and placed her in front of the mirror, "what do you see?"

Her reflection was the same as that day near after Christmas. She'd told Ginny about the cloak, but she'd never been able to bring herself to explain the Mirror of Erised. Behind thin glass Calla smiled and waved from within the arms of Ginny, and flowers scraped their ankles where they stood in a grassy field set just before a forest turned red and gold.

"I s-s-see," her muffled sobs made her speech stutter, "I see my best friend." The two-headed thing chuckled, but it was cold and mean rather than amused.

"Useless, of course. To both myself, and the old fool. Petty jealousy is not what I'd expect from the Girl-who-Lived, but I suppose you are a disappointment in many ways. If you cannot get the stone, then you have outlived your worth to me. Quirrel!" Calla gasped and her tears ceased for just a moment. Just long enough to watch as Ginny leaned over to Calla's reflection and slipped something into her pocket with a sly grin and a wink. Immediately, Calla felt a weight fall into her pocket just as the tip of Quirrel's wand brushed the side of her throat. "Wait!" called the second face. "Something has changed…she has it! Take it from her!"

Calla tried to run, but Quirrel was so big. She didn't make it a step before his hand was clenched in her hair. She drew up short with a quiet yelp and then pulled away as hard as she could. Uncle Vernon had pulled out more of her hair than this, and she didn't want to die. Ginny had asked her not to. They were going to be happy together in just three more months. But Quirrel's hand simply switched to her arm, and Calla sobbed as she realized she was truly caught. She would try, but she knew it was done. Her tiny nails would hardly do a thing, bitten as they were, but she brought them up to his bruisingly strong hand to scratch at his skin out of some half-forgotten instinct, like a cornered animal that has been muzzled. Then someone screamed that wasn't her, and the hand released her.

Calla fell onto all fours and quickly flipped herself onto her back. Above her, Quirrel was staring at his blistering, smoking hand with a grimace of fury. She'd been planning to run for it, but he still had a wand. And if he was gone, then maybe Calla could finally be safe. This was her moment, her one chance to change her life so that it might last longer than a few more seconds. Ambition and cunning, Calla, she thought to herself. Like Ginny said, ambition and cunning.

Throwing herself forward, Calla grabbed onto Quirrel's robes and climbed him like a jungle-gym. He reflexively went to shove her off, and Calla grinned through her tears as his hands burned and crackled the moment he touched her. He let go just long enough for her to throw her arms around his neck and plant her hands against the face on the back of his head. She could hear, and now feel under her fingers, the screams of both faces as they slowly went concave and slick with blood beneath her palms.

The body fell forwards, overbalanced by Calla's weight. She hit the floor with her head and back, making a soft 'oof' noise as the air rushed out of her. The ceiling seemed even blurrier, now, as the corpse pinned her legs. Above her, a column of smoke was still screaming, and it flashed down to her face. The last thing she saw was the visage of Voldemort before it was flowing through her and then whipping away towards the ceiling. Then her world was black.

* * *

She couldn't bring herself to write to Ginny until she was on the train back to the Dursleys. For three months, there would be no more letters, no more magic, no more Ginny except in her imagination. More than anything, she hoped Ginny wouldn't be mad at her, or forget about her. Calla poked a finger through the bars of Hedwig's cage and smoothed her chest feathers. Hedwig's eyes slowly blinked a few times before she shuffled closer to Calla's fingers and cooed. Hedwig was Calla's most beloved companion, but it takes a human to be a best friend. Calla had learned that when she tried to make friends with little garden snakes back at the Dursleys. It helped the loneliness, but nothing helped more than Ginny.

The train pulled in to the station and settled with a gentle bump against nothing, rocking Calla one last time against the window where she'd planted her forehead. She was back in her muggle hand-me-downs, but at least her glasses weren't taped up anymore. The 'reparo' charm had done more for her this year than almost any other spell.

She didn't count however she'd murdered Professor Quirrel as a proper spell.

Calla sank against the window, looking out onto the platform at all of the departing students. She wished she could stay here forever, but all she had were a few moments of peace before she went back to the Dursleys. A clump of red haired people caught her attention and she watched Ron, Fred, George, and Percy greet their mother and father with joy and affection. Then, Calla sat up incredulously. Next to , Ginny was standing and looking around the platform, with her hair up in a beautiful braid that looked like a headband or crown.

Calla leapt from her seat, grabbing her trunk and yanking it toward the entrance as fast as she could. It clattered against the doorframe but Calla could not care less. She had to get to Ginny.

The pandemonium was worse out on the platform proper, and Calla immediately lost sight of her best friend in the sea of taller bodies surrounding her. She pushed forward as best she could, near tears, because if she didn't get to Ginny she'd have to leave without talking to her and then she'd hate herself for the rest of the summer. Then, the crowd parted like wind blowing through trees and Ginny was there. A few meters away, and looking at Calla with pure joy written over every aspect of her. Calla ran forward as Ginny did the same. Her trunk slowed her down, but they met roughly in the middle with a solid 'thump' as Ginny wrapped Calla into her arms and squeezed.

Ginny was still so tall and bright gold and red. Now, Calla knew that Ginny was also warm and smelled like flowers and brown sugar and fresh, clean dirt. Ginny pulled back a little and Calla swayed on her feet as Ginny looked down and she was left staring into warm, sky-bright blue eyes.

"I missed you so much! Are you okay? I heard from all of my brothers about what happened!" Ginny was frantically looking over Calla's exposed skin. One of her hands ended up grasped in Ginny's own, but Calla used the other to reach into her pocket and grab the letter she'd just written.

"This, ah, explains all of it. I was going to send it on with Hedwig just now. She missed you a lot," Calla hurriedly explained. Ginny smiled at her and giggled, peering around Calla to look at Hedwig.

"Hello beautiful girl! Am I going to be seeing you a lot, this summer?" Ginny asked with a bright smile. Calla's heart sank.

"Actually," she started, "I was hoping Hedwig could spend the summer with you." Ginny looked confused and then very sad.

"Oh," she said, "I guess the Dursleys wouldn't like her, huh." Her eyes were downcast for a moment before she brightened and a look of sly determination settled in her gemstone eyes. "Well then I guess I'll just have to get you to the Burrow as quickly as possible." Ginny looked back at Calla and Calla stopped breathing. Ginny looked like a warrior princess from the books she used to read, with a crown of rubies and a fierce and beautiful face.

"How?" Calla barely breathed as she looked up into Ginny's eyes.

"Trust me," Ginny said with a smirk, "I've been plotting for months, and a Slytherin always accomplishes their goals. So just hold on, okay? I'll have you out of there before you know it." With that, Ginny winked and tucked Calla's arm through her own, leading her over to the Weasley family. Calla squished herself tight to Ginny's side, dragging her trunk while Ginny carried Hedwig's cage. Hedwig looked pleased to see Ginny, which was nice because she usually bit people at the Slytherin table. Especially when they tried to take Calla's mail.

"Mum?" Ginny called, "This is my best friend Calla. You know, my pen pal?" beamed and approached the two of them even as Ron went a furious shade of red and scowled, and the twins burst into barely stifled snickers.

"Oh, Calla dear! It's so lovely to meet you. My darling Ginny can hardly talk about anything but you, these days. I do hope you'll be free to visit this summer. Arthur and I would love to get to know you." talked very quickly and very loudly, and Calla shrank back a little bit before she hid her fear as best she could and smiled.

"Nice to meet you . I'd love to come visit," she answered as loudly as she could. She peeked at Ginny out of the corner of her eye and saw Ginny beaming with pride. was looking at his only daughter with a look of fond exasperation and something like resignation on his aging, but kind, features.

"Might as well, Molly," said , "best we get used to her being part of the family, after all." looked confused, but smiled gamely and patted her husband on the shoulder and stomach.

"Well, I'm glad you agree, dear," she said to her husband. Then they both smiled at Ginny and Calla. "Now girls, how about we help get Calla and her trunk out to her family? Best not to linger in muggle London, after all!" started gathering up the boys and ushering them to the platform exit, but bent down and took Calla's trunk from her hand.

"I've got this Calla," he said with a gentle smile, "you just stay with Ginny, alright? I'm sure she's going to miss you terribly." Calla nodded solemnly and tightened her grip on Ginny's arm. walked ahead and Calla and Ginny began a slow, even walk to the entrance.

"I'm so glad I'm almost ready," said Ginny, "to go to Hogwarts, I mean. I've been looking forward to spending time with you every day ever since…we met." Ginny looked a bit flushed, and Calla thought about what she'd seen in the Mirror of Erised. Her and Ginny, outside surrounded by trees and flowers, wrapped up in each other and happy. Calla looked up at Ginny and nodded firmly.

"We're best friends," she declared, "and I want to stay by your side. A Slytherin always accomplishes her goals!" Ginny looked stunned for a moment before Calla found herself wrapped in a rib-cracking hug.

"Well," Ginny finally said, "my goal is the same. So we'd best work together, right?" Calla nodded into Ginny's shoulder and tried to hold in her tears.

"Together," she promised.


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny was at the counter with her mum trying her best to help her cook. The 'trying' bit was twofold. For one, she still was terrible at cooking anything more finicky than toast. For another, Calla was finally coming to stay at the Burrow. It had taken her over a month to get everything in order with her parents and Dumbledore (though Ginny wasn't sure what he had to do with it) and Calla herself. Any moment now, Dumbledore would knock and Calla would be here for the rest of the summer and Ginny would have her close for almost an entire year.

Being a Slytherin, Ginny thought, was really so much more rewarding than being a Gryffindor. She got away with more than anyone else in her family, yet Mum still thought she was the good girl of the house. Well, Ginny was a bad girl, now! She ditched chores to press flowers and sword fight dragons and rescue maidens! And soon, Calla would be here to join her. Two Slytherins with an entire forest at their fingertips and with all summer to revel in it.

Ginny tried her hardest to focus on stirring the pancake batter for Mum. The thick sugary mix was still a bit lumpy, but Mum insisted that it was almost ready to add the blueberries.

A knock at the door.

Ginny heard the bowl clatter against the counter long after she'd left the kitchen at a dead sprint. The front door was off the living room, and she could see through the window just a peek of fluffy dark hair…

And then Ginny had wrenched the door open and Calla was in her arms. Ginny rocked backwards laughing, picking Calla up off the ground and spinning out onto the front garden-lawn past Professor Dumbledore. Calla's arms were around her neck, and she was laughing, and Ginny had black hairs in her mouth and glasses digging into her chin, and then they were falling and Ginny was looking up at the cloudless blue sky with a heavy weight wrapped into her arms.

Before she could bring up an arm to shield her eyes, Ginny's view was obstructed by a face hovering above her. Calla was beaming like Ginny had never seen. Her glasses were barely clinging to her ears, and her eyes were so green against all of the blue surrounding them that it had to be magic. Her hair was just long enough to hang down the inches between them and tickle Ginny's forehead.

"Ginny," Calla whispered, and Ginny could feel herself flushing at the sheer reverence in her best friend's voice. "You got me out. You got me away from the Dursleys. I can never repay you, you have no idea." Ginny smiled up at Calla's grin now tinged with heart-wrenching gratitude.

"You've already repaid me," Ginny found herself saying. To cover up her surely unattractive blush, she reached up and pushed Calla's glasses up her nose, which Calla immediately scrunched up in response. It made Calla's eyes crinkle. Ginny had never been so happy in her life.

"Girls! Come inside for breakfast! Ginny, dear, you still have to introduce your guest to everyone!" Ginny flopped her head away from Calla to look to the house with no lack of reluctance. Honestly, Mum had no sense of timing sometimes.

"They already know her, mum! We'll come in in a bit, honestly!" she shouted back. Calla twitched a bit above her and so Ginny wrapped her arms around Calla's tiny shoulders and tried to rub calmness through Calla's thin greyish dress.

"That better not be backtalk I hear, Ginevra Weasley!" her Mum screeched. Then, her voice went calm and normal as she spoke to Calla. "Calla, dear, you just come inside whenever you're ready. We've plenty of pancakes and fresh juice to go 'round, and I shall not be satisfied unless you leave for school plump as a ripe blueberry!" With that, Mum bustled back inside, leaving the front door open. Above her, Calla squirmed.

"Maybe we should, er, go in? I don't want to be rude," she mumbled. Ginny nodded happily. She wanted Calla to try the pancakes she'd helped make. Sure, she'd only stirred the batter, but it was more than she usually managed. Ginny wrapped her arms tight around Calla's waist and then stood with a slight huff. Calla really was terribly light. Even with Calla's entire weight Ginny hardly felt a strain. Ginny'd make sure she got regular-like meals here at the Burrow. In her arms, Calla was giggling a little, now.

"Oh Ginny," she said in her soft voice only Ginny ever seemed to hear, "let me down! I've waited so long to be here, at least let me walk on my own two feet!" Then she giggled a bit more. Even as Ginny was smiling, it was with reluctance that she lowered Calla onto her feet. The moment Calla left her arms she felt colder, but then Calla slipped a tiny hand into her own. She looked up at Ginny through her slightly crooked glasses. "Show me to breakfast, fair knight?"

"But of course, sweet maiden!" Ginny crowed. If magic was happiness, then Ginny could have taken on you-know-who right then. Calla laughed and trotted after Ginny as she led her to the front door.

"Hey! I'm cunning and ambitious too, you know. Maybe I'm more of a…a…a healer! Then I can come with you when you slay dragons and patch you up after." Ginny loved this idea, and she wanted to explore it more, but they'd reached the house and suddenly Calla was pressed up tight to her side and presumably done with talking for a while. The Burrow's living room looked the same as always. Mum's knitting was clicking away in the corner. Some of Da's muggle junk was spread out on the coffee table. The couches were plush and well-worn with ancient stains from seven babies who grew into toddlers. For some reason, though, Calla seemed enraptured by Ginny's home.

"You, er, like it, then?" Ginny couldn't help but ask. Calla drifted a palm over the closest couch. Her eyes were shiny, and for the first time since she arrived Ginny noticed just how worn out she looked, how dirty and bruised.

It's magnificent, Ginny," she said.

Her speaking voice was so soft, it would be a wonder if anyone at breakfast could hear her at all. With some regret, Ginny took Calla's hand and walked her into the battleground that was a Weasley breakfast.

Mum was at the head of the table, which was now stacked high with pancakes stained through with little purple smears of sweet juice baked in. Maple syrup covered the table almost as completely as a table runner would, and Ginny's brothers were sticky all down their elbows and chins and fingers. She couldn't wait to join them, and see what Calla looked like with sweet syrup all over her hands and face, and hopefully a smile to go with it. The last two seats were across from Mum and Da, past Percy and Ron, and right next to Professor Dumbledore, who had a warm gold and purple mess dripping down his white beard as he daintily ate his massive stack of blueberry pancakes with a tiny little smile on his wrinkly face. He looked just like the barn-cat Ginny had used to see out and about before the Lovegoods took it in, when it was out sunning itself on the roof with its fluffy white belly showing. His eyes were even half-shut under whiskery eyebrows like the cat's had been.

Ginny led Calla to the two open seats, only to hover uncertainly. Would Calla want to sit next to Dumbledore, or Mum? Ginny looked tentatively down at Calla, who was looking tentatively up at Ginny. Oh, this was going to be a disaster, she just knew it. Maybe, if she was fast, Ginny could grab a stack and make a run for it before Mum could catch them. Dumbledore leaned forward into Ginny's scan of the table with a happy little purple-haired grin. He pushed out the seat next to him and Calla visibly relaxed as she took the seat. Ginny quickly dropped into her own chair and started scraping up a quick plate of pancakes for herself. Calla took much less, but she was a lot smaller. And, later, Ginny could climb up a tree in the orchard and fetch her some apples. Mum wasn't the only one who wanted to see Calla well-fed.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny took a deep breath, focusing on the sounds of people all around her and the whistle of the Hogwarts Express. Without sight, it felt like all of these people were parted from her by some barrier, like she was on an island and the sounds of the train station were waves beating against her shore.

Then, she opened her eyes.

In front of her, Calla was facing her head on with a beaming smile like something out of one of Ginny's most joyous dreams. She'd evidently been waiting patiently for Ginny to return her gaze, and Ginny let her own smile grow across her face to match this lovely girl's expression. If Ginny was standing on an island, then Calla was right there with her, on this imaginary sanctuary in the center of an ocean of strangers.

Those green eyes met Ginny's own unwaveringly, full of excitement mirroring Ginny's own. Calla's glasses were meticulously clean, as always. Her hair was mussed and fluffy, as always. And in her hair, the little navy flower Ginny had made her was pinned just behind her ear, as always. Calla raised a hand and fiddled with the paper ornament while ducking her chin a tad, so that those big green eyes were shadowed slightly beneath her black eyelashes. Her smile went all sly and teasing, a new expression that Calla so far only dared to aim at Ginny, only to be interrupted as she crashed nose-first into Ginny's chest.

Ginny quickly caught Calla by the shoulders and pulled her in close, away from the scoundrels who had obviously shoved her. A group of girls in green ties with cruel smirks twisting their pale, greasy faces were behind Calla. Ginny should have noticed them, they weren't exactly subtle. Or cunning, rather. Despite what their ties would have Ginny believe. She wondered whether she should poison them or just ruin their reputations with strategic gossip? Or both?

"Surprising to see you back, Potty. We all thought they'd have kicked you out by now for being pathetic."

Calla cringed against Ginny, seemingly cowering away from her fellow Slytherins. Ginny alone could see how Calla's eyes shifted to the side, going cold above gritted teeth. She slipped her hand into Calla's and grinned with malice at the Slytherin chits as Calla's hand tightened immediately around her own.

"Hello girls," said Ginny, "You must be Calla's roommates. My name is Ginevra Weasley, it's a pleasure." Ginny grinned as widely as possible as she introduced herself to the walking target practice. The ugly one in the front looked confused for a moment before smiling and gesturing grandly to her.

"A blood-traitor Weasley? That explains the dirt and second-hand robes, I suppose. It's hard to imagine, though, how the weasels managed to produce a daughter so ugly. Maybe her Father is actually Filch?"

"Ginny, no need to associate with those girls. Shall we go find a compartment?" said Calla, neck craned back to look only at Ginny. She had a sly look in her eye. The smile on Ginny's face never wavered. The smiles on the faces of the bitch brigade vanished. The spokesgirl actually growled.

"What's that supposed to mean, Potty? Weasel here would be lucky to associate with us. You know, your little pet isn't going to stick around once she's sorted into Gryffindor with the rest of her trash family." At this, Ginny drew herself up slightly and picked up her trunk as Calla spun around to grab hers as well, along with Hedwig's cage. She stared benevolently over the spokesgirl's left shoulder with a neutrally fake smile.

"I'm going to be a Slytherin, actually. I look forward to however long we share a common room. I think you will all make wonderful doormmates." Ginny, as she spoke, was imagining just what kind of hell she could put these girls through with access to their beds, belongings, social group, and only sanctuary in the castle. She gave them three years, tops, before she and Calla had them dropping out. "I think you're right, Calla. It's time to let these girls do, er, whatever it is girls like them do. No need to discuss House politics so rudely in public, after all. Let's go find seats." As they began to walk away, she heard one of spokesgirl's cronies snort and say something Ginny found infinitely funny.

"Brown-nosing weasel."

These girls were oblivious princesses. They'd never see her and Calla coming.

Ginny and Calla had a compartment all to themselves. Calla was seated across from Ginny on the plush red seat nearest the window, which the smaller girl had her elbow leaning against. From her elbow, she had her wrist propped up to rest her chin on as she stared out the window with gentle eyes.

Gentle was the only word for it. Calla's bangs were barely rustling over her forehead with each slow, even breath she took. The sunset-light shafted over her chin and torso but left her eyes with some shadow so that she wasn't blinded and Ginny could see through her glasses to the green eyes behind them. Calla was watching the sun set over mountains of emerald forests and distant golden water with unwavering love and open affection. She looked like she wasn't drinking in the view so much as soaking it in. Just as, Ginny imagined, she looked staring at Calla.

Ginny tilted her head to rest against the cool glass. The train was passing silently like the stream back home passed over dirt and stones. Close to them, small flowers and ferns flickered by like a dancing flame of pale green and white. Just further, the mountains rolled along like mossy stone giants strolling through the dusk sky. Yet beyond, the Sun did not shift away, only hovered above the land slipping past their window. The train could not surpass the Sun like it did the rest of the world outside. Instead the Sun settled to rest eternally due West to them, moving only downwards into the dark and leaving Calla and Ginny to glow with the last rays of spun dust and maple-syrup light.

Ginny flickered her eyes back to Calla, only to find her friend was already looking back to her. The gentleness of her smile and gaze was unwavering, like Ginny was inseparable to this lovely girl from the Sun itself. Ginny smiled back wider for a moment, and then quickly stuck out her tongue. Calla giggled and turned to nudge her reddening face against the window. She peeked back at Ginny, who had quickly sucked her tongue back into her mouth so that she could treat Calla with a look of absolute innocence. Calla giggled even more. Never louder, just more. Her shoulders shook a tad higher up and down, her chest fluttered for breath a bit more often. Back at the Burrow, it had taken Ginny a while to learn the mannerisms that letters could not carry. Now, she could tell, without words, when Calla was nervous, or angry, or planning something, or happy, or even so utterly joyous it brought her to tears.

Ginny had been so scared when she'd given Calla a fresh-picked dandelion and the girl had silently begun to cry. With big fat tears dripping down her cheeks off her chin to the grass under their toes, Ginny had been frantic that she'd hurt Calla in some horrible way. She'd apologized over and over, clutching Calla to her and rubbing her back in a way she'd prayed was calming. Calla had laughed, then, a different laugh than the one she used now. It was laughing and crying all at once. She'd put her thin arms up over Ginny's shoulders and tucked her wet nose and glasses into Ginny's neck and whispered softly into her ear.

"I've never been so full of joy, before," she'd said.

Ginny hated to see Calla cry. But she loved seeing her like this, red and giggly and full to the brim with joy.

"Hey, Ginny?" said Calla with a nervous tint to her words.

"Mm?"

"Do you think…I mean, with our plans and all, do you really think we can be happy at Hogwarts? Er, that is, do you think we'll be okay?"

Ginny snorted and beamed over at Calla. "Of course we will! Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve, you know. We're going to learn as much magic as possible, and together we'll keep each other safe and happy until we can graduate and do everything we've ever wanted to. I don't know if I could stand Slytherin if it was just me alone, but since you'll be there I know for sure we'll be okay. We're going to be everything we want to be. And anyone who tries to stop us, we'll be cunning and stop them. Together."

Calla smiled wide and toothy back at Ginny and nodded. Yesterday, Ginny had been the one asking Calla the very same thing. It was scary, having an ambition, because it meant you could fail and it wouldn't just be bad it'd be the end of a part of what made you yourself. Lucky for Ginny, she had Calla. Calla'd already taught her some spells and potions tricks to help get her ahead. And, Calla'd helped Ginny to practice being nice even when she wanted to hit somebody. That way the teachers would be on her and Calla's side, and they wouldn't be suspects when they started to prank the other Slytherins. Ginny and Calla had spent a lot of time this summer spying on Fred and George, or even just flat-out asking for tips. The twins were really pretty brill, even if they did treat Ginny like a baby. Calla and Ginny were ready. This year they were going to be happy. And anyone who got in their way, well, Ginny would be in front of them with a smile and Calla'd be behind them with a wand.

Dear Diary,

My name is Ginny and I just started at Hogwarts. My best friend forever is Calla. She's the most wonderful, kindest, sweetest girl ever. She used to be my hero, but once I met her I realized she's my hero but in a different way. She's not all that brave, even though she's scared a lot and is brave anyways. Like, she's not Gryffindor brave which is very loud and reckless. She's more the smart and tricky sort, and she likes lots of the same things I do. Like someday we both want a pretty house and pet cats and dresses and a forest to run around in and to be super awesome at magic. She's a year ahead of me in Slytherin and I'm going to get to see her every day, now. Why?

Because I got into Slytherin! I'm so happy! I'm going to be the most cunning Slytherin ever to attend Hogwarts. My dorm is weird, but so far being Pureblood seems to be helping me to fit in, even if everybody is calling my family a bunch of "Blood-traitors". I'm not going to put up with that forever, of course, so probably I'll be an outcast pretty soon. That's okay, though, I only want to be friends with Calla. She's the most brill Slytherin ever, and everyone else I've met has been a total phony. They just tell everybody exactly what they think right away and threaten each other with their parent's money. That's not cunning at all!

I'm not going to put my plans in writing, just in case, until after I've put some spells on this diary to keep nosy roommates out. Let's just say, though, that I'm going to teach all of these mean phonies why they shouldn't mess with real Slytherins like me and Calla.

Hello, Ginny. You sound like a wonderful Slytherin, a credit to the house. Instead of 'Diary', perhaps you should call me 'Tom'. After all, what with me being your Diary, I think we're going to be grand friends.


End file.
